Servite Annual report praised in national charity publishing awards

Servite’s Annual report to residents has been commended by the judges of a national charity publishing awards.

Awarding Judge, Mark Evans, publisher of Charity Times said: "Servite’s report used an innovative approach, with the ‘outside’ pages telling the story with good quality photographs, and the ‘inside’ telling the story through facts and figures. Laudably concise and using white space to ensure that the message is not lost, it’s also editorially unafraid to highlight past issues and address these with answers.”

Senior Communications Officer, Una Buckley who produced the report said: "This year we wanted to mark a step change in our approach, focussing on how we listen and act on customer feedback. We used a simple narrative, with striking pictures and quotes from customers whose problems we are solving, to show just how important our customers are. On the reverse we provide detailed performance information and improvement plans to make us accountable to customers. The report then folds in an innovative concertina design providing two booklets in one. The report’s design is itself a response to customers who asked us to include more pictures and comments, more detailed improvement information and to cut costs - we reduced print costs this year by two thirds."

The awards run by Popp Comm and the University of the Arts are one of the highlights of the charity calendar. Award winners Included Save the Children, Tearfund, Friends of the Earth and the Home Office. In the Charity Annual report of the year category Servite was pipped to the post by the British Institute of Learning Disabilities and NCH The Childrens Charity. The judging panel, Mike Bradshaw and Sue Pandit from the London College of Communication, Mark Evans from Charity Times and communications consultants Keith Errington and Colin Ringrose stressed how narrow a margin there was between the entries: ”The standard this year was particularly high so making the short-list in any area is a considerable achievement.”

Ends

Press release issued: March 2 2006